EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TOOLS

Resources To Spark Clarity, Courage, And Action.

Are You Ready to Break Through?™

A COACHING READINESS QUIZ BY NANCY GIRRES

This isn’t your typical personality quiz. It’s a gut-check. A soul nudge. Ten quick questions designed to help you see where you are — and whether you’re truly ready (emotionally, mentally, and practically) to step into the kind of change that transforms everything.

Ready To Find Out?

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Curious if you’re ready to join a peer group?

A Peer Group READINESS QUIZ BY NANCY GIRRES

See if a Peer Group is right for you and if you're right for a peer group.

Ready To Find Out?

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Books Every Leader Should Read

You don’t need more noise. You need clarity, courage, and the right ideas at the right time.
These are the books I recommend most often to the leaders I coach — because they spark honest reflection, bold decisions, and aligned action.

LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

DARE TO LEAD — BRENÉ BROWN

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Why I Recommend It:
This book calls leaders to drop the armor and step into the kind of bravery that builds trust, connection, and real influence.
RADICAL CANDOR — KIM SCOTT

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Why I Recommend It:
It gives leaders a practical way to lead with both compassion and challenge — and shows how clarity is kindness.
THE ADVANTAGE — PATRICK LENCIONI

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Why I Recommend It:
Culture isn't soft — it’s your strategy. This book proves that healthy teams outperform everything else.
Good to Great — Jim Collins

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Why I Recommend It:
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s grounded analysis showing what separates lasting leadership from fleeting success—insight every CEO needs.
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership — John C. Maxwell

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Why I Recommend It:
A timeless framework of laws that never fail—a guidebook for anyone wanting to sharpen their influence and impact.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team — Patrick Lencioni

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Why I Recommend It:
Teams don’t fail because of skills—so often, it’s trust, conflict, clarity, commitment, and accountability. Read this then look back at your team.
Unreasonable Hospitality — Will Guidara

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Why I Recommend It:
Radical care isn’t just kind—it’s catalytic. Hospitality isn’t just for restaurants; it’s for anyone who leads.
The Power of Mattering — Zach Mercurio

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Why I Recommend It:
Leading isn’t enough—people need to feel they matter. This book teaches how to build significance into your culture.
First, Break All the Rules — Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman

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Why I Recommend It:
Great leadership isn’t about what you do right; it’s about what conventional wisdom you refuse to follow.

VISION, GROWTH & STRATEGY

THE INFINITE GAME — SIMON SINEK

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Why I Recommend It:
It helps leaders think beyond quarterly wins and start building legacies that last.
ESSENTIALISM — GREG MCKEOWN

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Why I Recommend It:
If you feel pulled in a hundred directions, this book will teach you how to say no to what doesn’t matter — and yes to what does.
TRACTION — GINO WICKMAN

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Why I Recommend It:
It brings structure to visionary chaos. The EOS system helps leaders clarify, prioritize, and execute.
Purple Cow — Seth Godin

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Why I Recommend It:
In a world of sameness, being remarkable isn’t optional—it’s essential. This book is a defiant blueprint for breaking through.
Start with Why — Simon Sinek

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Why I Recommend It:
Leadership rooted in “why” unlocks ignition. This book will help you lead with clarity that feels magnetic rather than managerial.

REFLECTION & INNER CLARITY

THE PIVOT YEAR — BRIANNA WIEST

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Why I Recommend It:
One page a day. One shift at a time. This book offers grounded wisdom for the seasons when everything is quietly changing
LET THEM — MEL ROBBINS

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Why I Recommend It:
You don’t need to chase approval to stay in your power. This book is a permission slip to let go and stay rooted in your worth.
LOVING WHAT IS — BYRON KATIE

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Why I Recommend It:
Freedom isn’t found by fixing others — it’s found by questioning our own thoughts. This book changes the way you experience challenges, forever.
StrengthsFinder 2.0 — Tom Rath

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Why I Recommend It:
Knowing who you are—and who you’re not—is the fastest path to leadership clarity.
Now, Discover Your Strengths — Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton

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Why I Recommend It:
This was the first widely used tool to shift the paradigm: don’t fix weaknesses—magnify your strengths.
Necessary Endings — Dr. Henry Cloud

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Why I Recommend It:
Knowing when to let go is as important as knowing when to push forward. This book gives leaders the courage to close the right doors.
Man's Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl

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Why I Recommend It:
The will to meaning outlasts the will to power. A profound reminder of what anchors leadership in life, not just profit.
I Thought It Was Just Me — Brené Brown

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Why I Recommend It:
Shame and vulnerability are universal—knowing we’re not alone is the beginning of real impact.

SELF-MASTERY & MINDSET

THE BIG LEAP — GAY HENDRICKS

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Why I Recommend It:
Upper-limit problems are real — this book helps you recognize and dismantle the internal ceiling keeping you from more joy and success.
THE GAP AND THE GAIN — DAN SULLIVAN & DR. BENJAMIN HARDY

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Why I Recommend It:
This is the mindset shift that changes everything — from chasing success to recognizing progress.
ATOMIC HABITS — JAMES CLEAR

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Why I Recommend It:
Small, consistent actions beat big, unsustainable plans. This book is your blueprint for real change.
THINK AGAIN — ADAM GRANT

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Why I Recommend It:
The best leaders are willing to rethink what they “know.” This book teaches how to lead with curiosity instead of ego.
GRIT — ANGELA DUCKWORTH

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Why I Recommend It:
Talent matters — but perseverance matters more. This book is a masterclass in resilience and long-game leadership.
Drive — Daniel H. Pink

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Why I Recommend It:
Forget carrots & sticks. Here's the science behind autonomy, mastery, and purpose—and why that’s the leadership of our time.
Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman

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Why I Recommend It:
Understand the two systems that drive decisions. Every leader who wants to think clearly—and lead wisely—should read this.
The Power of Regret — Daniel H. Pink

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Why I Recommend It:
Not all regrets are failures—some light the path forward. This book teaches how regret can fuel better decisions.

Trusted Professionals

I don’t refer lightly. These professionals have earned my trust — and my clients.

TEAMS

Trebuchet Group
Chris Hutchinson / CEO
www.trebuchetgroup.com

ACCOUNTING

NoCo Elite Books
Christina Nickerson / Founder
www.nocoelitebooks.com

IT SERVICES

ICC USA
Kirk Bane / President
www.iccusa.net

People Development

Culture Index
Randi Fargen / Executive Advisor
www.cultureindex.com

EOS

EOS Worldwide
Steve Morris / Implementor
www.eosworldwide.com/stephen-morris

FRACTIONAL C-SUITE

Savvy Strategic Partners
Jill Simonds/Founder
www.savvystrategicpartners.com

Fractional CMO

7FOUR6 Marketing Co
Jesse Sullivan / Founder
www.7four6.com

AI Solutions

Local Nerds
Reuben (Reu) Smith / founder
www.localnerds.co

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From The Blog

Blog | Nancy Girres | Executive Coaching Insights

Becoming the Person Who Can Hold the Life You Want

In August of 2014, I flew to San Diego for my first week of Vistage Chair Academy training.

I was terrified. But the good kind of terrified — the kind that means you're finally doing the thing.

And then I got in the registration line.

Stop Apologizing for Being Ambitious

I grew up in a town of 800 people in Iowa.

Nobody told me I couldn't have big dreams. They didn't have to. There was simply no visual evidence that a woman could. You married. You raised a family.

When Your Soul Sends You a Memo

My soul had been sending me memos for years.

I just kept filing them under someday.

The CEO Who Realized He Was the Bottleneck

At some point, most leaders hit a wall.

Not a market wall. Not a resource wall.

A them wall.

The 20-Mile March — And Why I'm Still Learning It

I have a confession.

I am a recovering procrastinator.

And I say recovering loosely — because some weeks I'm more recovered than others.

The Problem Isn't the People — It's the Patterns

For a long time, I thought I had a turnover problem.

What I actually had was a me problem.

I just couldn't see it yet.

The CEO Isolation Trap

Here's something I know for sure after years of sitting in rooms with CEOs:

When we get stuck in our own heads, telling ourselves the same story over and over, we start to believe it.

The 2AM CEO Moments

I've been there.

Not as a CEO — but as someone who has sat across from enough of them to know exactly what 3am looks like from the inside.

Radical Candor Is a Love Language

I used to soften everything.

Not because I was dishonest. Because I cared. Because I didn't want to hurt anyone. Because I'd grown up learning that keeping the peace was the kind thing to do — and somewhere along the way I confused kindness with cushioning.

Your Team Can't Outperform Your Clarity

My first leadership role taught me a lot of things.

Most of them the hard way.

I thought I was clear. I thought the direction was obvious.

Permission to Want More

Wanting More Is Not a Character Flaw

More meaning.
More alignment.
More honesty.
More space.

The Next Mountain Won’t Climb Itself

There’s Always Another Mountain

The hardest climb is the one you know is next —
the one you can see clearly,
but haven’t started.

The Hidden Cost of Leading Alone

Leadership Can Be Surprisingly Quiet

From the outside, leadership looks full.

Full calendars.
Full rooms.
Full responsibility.

The Power of a Single Brave Conversation

Most Change Starts With a Pause

Big change doesn’t usually begin with a grand plan.

It begins with a moment of hesitation.
A tightening in the chest.
A sentence you rehearse and then swallow.

The Day I Realized I Was Settling

It Didn’t Look Like Failure

If you’d asked me from the outside, I would have said things were fine.
Not falling apart.
Not a mess.
Functioning. Productive. Responsible.

Why CEOs Need a Peer Group More Than Ever

Leadership Has Quietly Changed

The job of a CEO looks the same from the outside.

The title.
The responsibility.
The expectation to decide, to lead, to hold it all together.

The Year You Stop Betraying Yourself

It Rarely Starts With a Big Decision

Self-betrayal doesn’t usually look like lying.

It looks like rationalizing.

Burnout Isn’t a Character Flaw

Let’s Stop Making This Personal

Burnout gets framed as weakness.

Not resilient enough.
Not organized enough.
Not disciplined enough.

Comfort Will Cost You More Than Courage Ever Will

Comfort feels safe — but it’s costing you more than you think. In this post, Nancy Girres unpacks how comfort quietly erodes your potential and why choosing courage, even in small doses, is the path to a life of impact and integrity.

You Don’t Need to Be the Hero - Be the Lighthouse

Most leaders are taught to jump in, fix everything, and save the day. But real leadership isn’t about being the hero — it’s about being the lighthouse. Nancy Girres explores what it means to lead with presence, clarity, and trust in others’ ability to rise.

Coaching Isn’t a Hug. It’s a Mirror.

Coaching isn’t about making you feel good — it’s about helping you see clearly. In this post, Nancy Girres explores why the best coaching doesn’t coddle you but reflects you, challenging you to step into the version of yourself you keep claiming to want.